Alias Festus Haggen
by Zanza8
Summary: Alternate ending to Episode # 562 Season 17. Matt takes the law into his own hands to save Festus from hanging.
1. Chapter 1

Matt Dillon took the stage from Aida Springs to Rock Creek with a heavy heart. He got off in town and stopped by the stables, then walked over to the hotel where Doc and Kitty were staying. Finally he headed for the jail.

Newly and Doyle were keeping watch, while Festus did not seem to have moved an inch from the door of his cell. Matt glanced briefly at his friend, then dropped into a chair and covered his face with his hands.

Newly's stomach lurched. "The governor..."

Matt's voice was strangled. "The governor won't intervene."

Doyle walked over to the big man and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, marshal. I know how you feel..."

Matt exploded into action, lashing out at Doyle. The agent dropped to the floor and the marshal got the keys and unlocked the cell door. Newly spoke up. "Matt, you can't hope to get away with this. They'll take away your badge. You'll wind up in prison yourself."

Matt just looked at him. "Newly, drop your gunbelt." Newly hesitated and Matt loomed over him, his fists clenched. "Do it!" Newly and Festus exchanged a look, then Newly unbuckled his gunbelt and dropped it. The marshal scooped it up and gestured at Doyle. "Now drag him into the cell." Newly bent down and gripped Doyle, pulled him into the cell and straightened up. Matt took a rifle down from the wall. "Come on, Festus."

Festus took a hesitant step out of the cell, then stopped. "Matthew, I cain't."

"Festus, the governor isn't going to give you a new trial. He won't even postpone the execution. Don't you understand if you stay here you'll die?"

The deputy bit his lip. "I understand." His voice dropped. "I'd ruther die than see you get in a whole heap of trouble. I ain't goin' nowhere."

Matt's voice was cold. "You can walk under your own power or I can hit you over the head with my gun and carry you out. Either way you're coming with me."

"Matthew, have you gone crazy?"

"I have. Get moving." Festus looked more closely at his friend. The marshal's face was blank but there were demons in his eyes. The deputy walked over to him and Matt locked Newly and Doyle in. "I'm sorry to do this to you, Newly, but at least you'll be in the clear."

Matt and Festus went out the back. As the marshal closed the door Festus turned to run, but Matt had been expecting such a move. He caught the deputy by the arm, swinging him around and hitting him as hard as he could on the jaw. Festus was out cold and Matt felt remorse, but he was a driven man tonight. He had left two horses in the alley and he tossed his friend over the saddle of one, then mounted the other and rode away.


	2. Chapter 2

Kitty handed Doc the envelope the desk clerk had given her. The old man shook a United States marshal's badge into his hand, stared at it for a moment, then laid it aside and turned his attention to the note.

_Kitty, By the time you get this I'll be gone with Festus. I couldn't get him a new trial or even a stay of execution and I can't let him die. I'm sorry to leave you like this because I love you, Kitty. I've never been able to tell you that and now it's too late even to say goodbye properly. I just hope you understand and maybe someday you can forgive me. Matt _

Doc looked at Kitty. She was sitting very still and he went to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. She raised her face to him and he saw that her eyes were full of tears. "Kitty..."

The tears fell and Doc put his arms around her while a storm of grief shook her. After it was over Kitty said numbly, "We've lost them both, haven't we, Doc?"

The old man ran his hand over his face. He tried to say something reassuring, but no words would come. He cleared his throat and struggled with himself, but for both their sakes he had to face the truth. "I'm afraid we have." Doc tried to picture going back to Dodge with Kitty and telling the townspeople what had happened in Rock Creek, but that was a future too dark to look into.


	3. Chapter 3

Festus groaned and sat up, rubbing his jaw. He glared at Matt. "I cain't believe you hit me with yore gun!"

"It was my fist."

"My foot it wuz yore fist!" Matt poked at the ground with a stick, his face glum. "Matthew, you just ain't usin' yore good sense. It ain't too late to turn back, you know."

"We do and they'll hang you tomorrow. Is that what you want?"

"No, 'course not, but I don't want you throwin' yore life away either. My papa alwuz said everythin' starts to die a little soon as it's born. Mebbe it's my time."

"It's not your time."

"Is it yore time to leave Miss Kitty and Doc and all them folks in Dodge that are needin' you?"

"Don't you think I thought of them?" Matt got up and walked restlessly back and forth. "Festus, I'm not planning to go on the run for the rest of our lives."

"Well, what are you plannin' then?"

The marshal knelt beside his friend. "I want to go back out to that way station. That woman, Frank Eaton's wife...I think he's alive and she knows where he is. All we have to do is find him and bring him in and you'll be cleared for good."

"What if he's dead or she don't know where he's at? We'll be runnin' all right...me a convicted murderer with a death sentence and you'll be wanted almost as bad for breakin' me out." Matt looked tortured and Festus spoke very gently. "It's better you let me go."

"Festus, I..." Matt hung his head. "I never should have agreed to letting them take you to Rock Crik in the first place."

"Golly bill, that warn't yore fault. The judge didn't give you no choice."

"Then you give me tomorrow." Festus looked puzzled and Matt went on rapidly. "Let's go out to the way station tomorrow and see if we can't find something that'll lead us to Frank Eaton. If we do we'll follow it up."

Festus said carefully, "If'n we don't?"

Matt felt the sting of tears. "If we don't...if you really want to go back to Rock Crik..." His throat tightened and he couldn't finish the sentence.

Festus nodded and put his hand on Matt's shoulder. The marshal gripped his friend's arm for a moment, then turned away to try to sleep for what was left of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Mrs Frank Eaton, aka Suzie Johnson, woke that morning feeling fine. The trial was finished, the hanging was today-it was all over. She heard a horse ride up and sighed. Maybe it was time to get rid of this station and move on. It was possible now. Everything was possible now. She got up and dressed, listening to footsteps along the porch. The front door opened and closed. Well, whoever it was they were bound to be hungry. Best get busy. She walked into the main room.

The tall marshal from Dodge City was back and he advanced on her with a grim face. "It's time you started telling the truth."

"She already has."

Matt turned and his eyes widened in shock. Festus leaned lazily against the bedroom door. He was clean shaven with a dark moustache, wearing new clothes, holding a gun on Matt-the marshal shook his head. This wasn't Festus. The resemblance was uncanny but one look at the eyes showed a chilling difference. Festus' hazel eyes were soft and expressive, radiating kindness and gentleness. This man had the deputy's eyes in form and color, but they were as hard and lifeless as two bits of stone. Matt gritted his teeth. "Frank Eaton."

Eaton grinned and walked over to his wife. There were other differences, Matt noted. Eaton stood up straighter than Festus and he moved with a swagger. His voice was deeper and completely lacked the deputy's twang. "He alone?"

Mrs Eaton looked out the window. "There's only one horse."

"Marshal, that wasn't real smart of you to come out here. I may just have to kill you." The outlaw looked thoughtful. "Though why I'd bother I don't know. You got no proof that your friend ain't Frank Eaton and I imagine they've hanged him by now..." He smiled and it was the insolent smile of a cat at a mouse hole when she sees her prey. "There's not much you could do if I let you go."

"I could kill you. Her too."

Eaton raised his eyebrows. "That so? In that case, I think I'll just plant you out back. Suzie's been after me to fertilize the garden." Mrs Eaton laughed and her husband gestured with the gun. "Outside."

"Don't nobody move."

Eaton turned slowly to see Festus coming through the bedroom door. The deputy checked at the sight of the other man and his eyes went to Matt. The marshal breathed a sigh of relief. "Took you long enough."

"You wuz s'posed to wait for me before you come in here, Matthew. Yore lucky you didn't get yore head blowed off." Festus considered the man in front of him. "Looks just like me, don't he? 'Cept for bein' ugly as sin." Eaton's eyes narrowed and his wife moved back. Festus and Matt didn't notice as she worked her way to the dresser and opened a drawer. She pulled out a gun and fired and Matt staggered as a searing pain burned his arm.

He lunged at the woman just as Festus and Eaton fired together. The outlaw dropped to the floor and his wife threw herself on him, sobbing. Looking anxiously at the deputy holding his chest, Matt collected the guns and went to his friend. "How bad is it?"

"Creased m' ribs. Are you all right?"

Matt rubbed his arm. "It's just a nick." He knelt next to Eaton, pushing the woman out of the way, and felt the man's pulse. "He's dead."

Mrs Eaton moved and Festus took her by the hair. "You just hold still, missy. You done caused enough trouble." Matt stood up and the deputy asked, "Matthew, what are we goin' to do with her?"

"Take her back to Rock Crik with this trash. You're going to prison, Mrs Eaton."

"Prison! I ain't done nothing to go to prison for!"

Matt's eyes flashed and he took a step towards her. "You perjured yourself in a court of law and my friend almost died because of it. Prison's the least of what you deserve." He looked at Festus. "I'll get the horses."

The deputy nodded. "Go ahead on. I'll watch her." Matt started towards the door and Festus said, "Matthew?" The marshal looked back. "Much obliged for my life...again."

Matt smiled. "Anytime, Festus."

As he opened the door he saw Doyle and Newly ride up. They dismounted and Doyle ran up on the porch with his gun out. He was furious. "Dillon, you're under arrest for jail-breaking, aiding and abetting a fugitive..."

Matt held up his hand. "Now wait a minute. I found Frank Eaton."

"You broke him out of jail is what you did!"

Matt shrugged and held the door for the agent. "See for yourself."

Doyle glared at him. "You first." Matt shrugged again and went through the door, the agent behind him with Newly bringing up the rear. Doyle stopped abruptly at the sight of Eaton's body, his wife kneeling next to him and Festus sitting at the table covering her with a gun. The agent looked at Matt. "Doesn't seem to be much to say, marshal."

"Doyle, I'd appreciate it if you would take these two back to town and send Doc Adams and Miss Russell out."

"I'll do that." He beckoned to Newly. "Deputy, can you give me a hand here?" Newly eyed the blood staining Festus and Matt's shirts and hesitated.

"I'd like to take care of my friends first."

"Go on, Newly," said Matt, sitting next to Festus. "We don't mind waiting. Just get them out of here."


	5. Chapter 5

Doc checked Matt's arm. "Good job, Newly." He turned to Festus and examined his ribs. "Nothing broken." He ran his hand over his face. "You ought to be able to travel in a day or two."

"A day or two!" Festus tucked his shirt in. "I'm leavin' on the next stage."

Doc looked sharply at the deputy, then thought of all his friend had been through. He shook his head. "By golly, Festus, you're right. This is no place to stay." Festus looked relieved and Doc went on. "Will you go to bed and rest until the stage comes in?"

"I'd ruther wait outside for it."

The old man took his friend's arm. "Newly can watch for the stage and we'll call you as soon as it's here. Now you lay down and I'll sit with you..." They went into one of the station's bedrooms and Newly turned to Matt.

"The next stage isn't until tomorrow."

Matt nodded to the schedule chalked on the wall. "Doc knows that, Newly."

Newly smiled. "I guess he does. Festus could use a good night's sleep at that."

Kitty spoke up. "I think we all could."

Matt looked at her and smiled. "Kitty, let's take a walk."


	6. Chapter 6

They went outside and strolled in silence until the house was out of sight. Matt said, "I guess you got my note." Kitty nodded. He went on awkwardly. "I've been a lawman most of my life. I thought it was the most important thing in the world to me. Then Festus..."

"Matt, you don't have to explain to me. I would have broken him out myself if I could have."

Matt nodded and they walked along, then he spoke again. "I realized something. What's really important..." He paused. "What's really important are the people you love." He stopped walking and took her hands. "Kitty, will you marry me?"

Kitty's jaw dropped and she threw her arms around him. "Oh, Matt!" They clung to each other, then she put her hands on his chest and leaned back, looking up into his face.

Matt looked happier than she had ever seen him before. "Does that mean yes?"

Kitty gently pushed him away. "No, Matt. I love you too, but the answer is no." He reached for her again but she turned away and opened her little bag. Taking out his marshal's badge she ran her finger over it, then handed it to him. He took it as if it were a cup of poison. "You laid this aside for Festus and I know you'd lay it aside for Doc or me, but it's part of you."

Matt's voice was numb. "You won't marry me?"

Kitty took his hand and smiled through her tears. "Ask me again when you lay it down for good." He nodded, then pinned the badge on as they walked slowly back to the house.


End file.
